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WEST KELOWNA — A four-year-old West Kelowna girl was rushed to hospital by ambulance for emergency surgery Monday afternoon for a severe dog bite.

Summer Schneider returned home Tuesday morning after getting plastic surgery to re-attach her scalp, which was torn away in the attack by an American Bulldog weighing over 50 kilograms.

She was playing with a neighbourhood friend inside their house when the dog lunged without provocation.

Neighbours, including nurses, heard the screaming and rushed to try to stem the excessive bleeding and help pull the dog away.

“It was horrendous,” says Pat Price. “There was no facial damage but it took quite a bit of her scalp off and there was a deep gash above her ear.”

Summer’s mother says she doesn’t blame the dog or its owners.

RAW: Global Okanagan’s Blaine Gaffney speaks with young girl and her mother as they arrive from hospital.

“He was just territorial. I think he doesn’t like small animals or children and my daughter is afraid of big dogs. She may have jumped back and the dog smelled the fear and jumped at her,” says Shantelle Schneider.

Summer doesn’t remember anything of the incident.

“She’s doing a lot better, happy and smiling,” says her mother.

The dog’s owner has reportedly since left for Alberta taking his pet with him.

“I can’t believe the cops and the bylaw officers left the dog last night with another little girl living in the house”, says neighbour Rachelle O’Halloran, adding her small dog was attacked a month ago by the same dog.